Peru has been recognized for several years as one of the best gastronomic destinations in the world. For the seventh time in a row, the Andean country has been named the World’s Leading Culinary Destination by the World Travel Awards in the gastronomy category, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to stop anytime soon. A success that led to the opening of many Peruvian restaurants in more or less all continents. From London to Geneva, and from Dubai to Miami, to name a few.
Peruvian gastronomy is very varied and there are very good restaurants in all regions. There are many restaurants in Lima, and as the capital of Peru, it is therefore the ideal destination for any foodie wishing to sample Peruvian delicacies – one can find dishes from almost every region of Peru. So here is a list of our best restaurants in Lima, which we recommend for the quality of their dishes.
Best restaurants in Lima
1. La Patarashkita
Located in the new and modern Mercado 28, a kind of modern market with small stalls presenting foods from various regions of Peru, but also from other countries, La Patarashkita is a new option in the city for those who want to try local food. Amazonia, which is great since we felt that the number of good places serving quality Amazonian food in Lima was too small. We recommend the “mixed juane” made up of tacacho, cecina and Amazonian chorizo, and the smoked pork ribs dipped in cocoa honey.
2. El Bodegon
It is one of the most recent restaurants opened by Gastón Acurio in Lima. A few steps from Kennedy Park. El Bodegón offers a typical Creole menu. You will find almost all the classics of Peruvian gastronomy served in generous portions and at a lower price than the most renowned Creole places like Panchita and Isolina. In this “corner tavern” environment, we recommend you try a typical Afro-Peruvian dish from the Chincha region (south of Lima) called “Mancha pecho de sopa seca con carapulcra”. This dish is made from grilled pork in a cylinder, pasta and dehydrated potatoes seasoned with multiple spices. The other recommendation is to eat a stuffed rocoto, a kind of large hot pepper from Arequipa stuffed with stew, cheese, olives, peas, cumin and parsley, served with a gratin potato.
3. Maido restaurant
Voted the seventh best restaurant in the world, just one position behind Central, Maido, by chef “Mitsuharu Micha Tsumura”, is the ideal place to taste Nikkei food, the fusion of Peruvian and Japanese cuisine. The thirteen-course tasting menu changes often, and still 30% of the dishes remain the same for several years. Although you can eat very well à la carte, if you decide to visit this restaurant, we strongly recommend that you order the tasting menu so that you can witness the skills of this highly talented chef.
4. Isolina restaurant
In an old-fashioned tavern decor, where generous comfort food is served on large enamel plates. Isolina, by chef José Del Castillo, has been nominated for the 50 best restaurants in Latin America for three consecutive years, reaching 13th place in 2018. To make the most of your visit, we suggest you go with as large a group as possible and order half portions of several dishes to be able to try many things. Of course, a full portion usually satisfies two people. We recommend the lomo saltado, the dried beef and the stuffed potato with a lot of stuffing.
5. Al toke pez
If you visit the district of Surquillo, you cannot miss “Al Toke Pez”, the little huarique of the chef “Tomas Toshi Matsufuji”. Our recommendation is to order a leche de tigre served in a glass with a bit of spice and fried fish. If you are very hungry, ask for a combo. The combo is a 3-meal plate that has wok seafood rice, fried squid, and seafood ceviche.